Over before it Begins
by Vlka Fenryka
Summary: If things had gone wrong over Red Rock the future will change
1. Chapter 1

Over before it begins

Disclaimer: Don't own JAG but if I did think of the possibilities

Arlington National Cemetery

13:15 Zulu

2014

It was a beautiful day and at this time and as all times it was quiet with the solemn white markers planted in the ground interspersed with greenery a lot of people the Grey haired Commander looked down at the 2 grave stones sitting side by side with a look of profound sadness in his features. Releasing his breath with a sigh he said quietly to himself "I wish it could've been different", awash in his grief and overwhelmed by his memories he hardly noticed 2 people walking up behind him until he heard an "excuse me Cmdr" at that the Cmdr turned and looked up to see a woman with the uniform of a flag officer with the rank of Rear Admiral along with a teen aged looking boy but he couldn't see the boys face due as he was standing behind the woman.

"Did you know them Cmdr?" the admiral enquired, pointing to the headstones while fishing for a name with the open ended question.

"Commander Bud J Roberts Jr Ma'am" as he said this his eyes went to the face of the Admiral and stared before blurting "Lt Austin", Meg smiled and looked at Bud replied "that's Admiral Bud I haven't been a Lieutenant in a long time" Bud's face went red with embarrassment as he went over what he had said "yes ma'am; sorry ma'am" and came to attention in front of the superior officer "at ease Bud just relax" Meg chuckled as Bud relaxed then Meg became sombre "So you come here to see him as well" "No ma'am, well yes ma'am, I come here to see both" Bud responded then hesitated before continuing "you see ma'am I was there when Lt Cmdr Rabb and Major MacKenzie died"

Meg looked stunned at Bud as if he had grown another head and she could only get out a breathless "you were" she stopped and took a deep breath and continued "how did it happen and I mean really happen, I mean I've heard rumours about what happened out there but I won't really know the truth until I'm confirmed as the new JAG" Bud hesitated because he really didn't want to remember it much less talk about it but when he looked at Meg's face who was looking at him with an 'I'm serious' look on her face and also a pleading look in her eyes Bud closed his eyes and with the memories of that day starting to wash over him he started his story.

Red Rock Mesa

1997

It was a very hot morning, then again it was Arizona I had been riding in the helicopter with Mr Webb from the State Dept but we later found out that that he was with the CIA and it was him that had lost the Declaration in the first place; well we had reached Red Rock Mesa and found their car abandoned, well we had landed and were looking for any sign of them when we heard a helicopters rotors and looked to see where it was coming from.

What happened next will haunt me forever because what happened to them should never happen to anyone.

Well from where we were standing I looked up and saw someone hanging from the struts and then I saw someone lean out of the helicopter and hit the guy hanging on and he just fell. I didn't and wouldn't know until five minutes later who it had been then the guy that had been at the door fell out along with the box that contained the Declaration of Independence, the biggest heartbreak for me happened just seconds later when someone who I realised was Major MacKenzie came flying out the helicopter backwards and plummeted towards the ground.

Mr Webb was too interested in retrieving the declaration that he didn't care who had fallen and I went to check I wish that I hadn't because when I discovered the bodies of my two superiors I cried and fell to my knees and threw up and I nearly ruined my career when Webb came up behind me and congratulated me on the success of the mission and patted me on the back, I stood up and lost my temper and punched him in the face, Admiral Chegwidden was informed and flew out to see me and to do a debrief and Webb had the gall to intervene and want my commission after hitting him, the Admiral grilled me about it and when he heard what had happened and what Webb had said to me then HE hit Webb, it's safe to say that he didn't ask JAG to do anything else for him ever again.

Colonel O'Hara turned himself in to the Admiral personally and we got his side of the story about what happened on the helicopter he said that his men double crossed him and were going to trade the declaration for the money and took himself and the Major as hostages, well the Cmdr wasn't having any of it and when the helicopter lifted off well he jumped for it and well as I told you he was attacked and fell; the Major put him off balance and that's why his attacker fell and Colonel O'Hara informed us that the Major had picked up a rifle but instead of using it against the other captor she was going to hit him with it and knock him out instead of killing him, well just as the Major was bringing the stock down to land on her captors head he kicked out catching the Major in the stomach pitching her backwards and she fell out also and even told us that he and the Major were related, something we didn't know and that Lt Cmdr Rabb had volunteered to defend him at Court Martial not caring what it would do to his own career.

Well as Lt Cmdr Rabb had obviously seen something in the Colonel worth defending as a favour to his departed star junior officer he defended the Colonel himself and during the trial brought in the evidence that the State dept set the Colonel up by waving the declaration in his face and taunting him to steal it so in the end Colonel O'Hara only got 10 years in Leavenworth but was released for good behaviour in five. The colonel was allowed to go to the funerals as a goodbye to his niece and a thank you to the man that had wanted to defend him and Sarah even though it cost him his life, well it as an easy request as it was a double funeral and they were laid to rest beside each other partners forever in full military services; at the end of the service before the MP's tool the Colonel away the Colonel mentioned to the Admiral that he had noticed something powerful in both their eyes when they looked at each other that had made him think that had they lived they would have either married each other or killed each other, to that the Admiral chuckled and pointed out that he had seen the same thing himself when they first met and ordered them not to get to close as they would be working with each other.

With that Bud finished his story and opened his eyes and wasn't surprised to find tears streaming down his and Meg's faces and turned to face the grave of Rabb's when he heard a quiet sob from the boy that had arrived with Meg had moved when Bud had closed his eyes and took in the sight of the dark haired boy on his knees in front of the grave.

A question was about to come to Bud's lips when Meg beat him to it with "Oh Bud sorry where are my manners, this is my son David" With that she beckoned to the Boy "David come here and say hello to a friend of mine" the boy got to his feet and walked over to where his mother was and lifted his head and looked at Bud and Bud's blood ran cold and his face went white as he saw a familiar face from the past look back at him as Meg made a formal introduction "Cmdr Bud Roberts this is my son David Harmon Rabb"

A/N: This is my first Fic and am thinking about doing a 2nd chapter about what happened when Meg first learned of Harm's death and the revelation to Harm's mom that Meg was pregnant with Harm's child, therefore continuing the Rabb curse.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: - See part 1

"Your son ma'am" exclaimed Bud, A frown crossed Bud's face then his eyes went wide and his jaw hung open as he processed exactly what Meg had just told him "Rabb ma'am, how did that happen?" Bud suddenly became red faced as what he had just said registered in his mind "Oh err I mean I know how it happened, I mean when did it happen; I mean; I meant to say, what I mean is" getting himself flustered Bud thought it best to shut his mouth, a small wry smile appeared on Meg's face at the junior officers words then sighed quietly as she looked at her son then down at Harm's grave.

Feeling a tad brave Bud looked at Meg and enquired "what happened to you back then ma'am? The last thing I heard was that you had requested me for duty at JAG headquarters but you had moved on? In fact I actually remember Admiral Chegwidden saying that my transfer was the last thing you asked for before you moved, that was the day that the commander met the major in the White House Rose Garden".

Meg looked at Bud with sad eyes and responded "I didn't request a transfer Bud I was ordered to transfer, I guess someone wanted us broken up because I wasn't given a choice in the matter, while Harm was held for the murder of Lt. Shonke I was approached by… it doesn't matter" Meg stopped speaking remembering how a Captain from Naval Intelligence had approached her at home and told her to pack and issued her the change of orders that had taken her away from JAG and Harm, she had managed to get a change of orders cut for Bud out of the Captain and didn't want to try his patience.

Meg closed her eyes and faced the direction a small breeze that had picked up and let it gently caress her face as the memories of that day and the days, weeks and months that followed it washed over her and she began speaking to Bud.

I was at my apartment going over my notes of the day and trying to find out a way to get Harm out of the clutches of NCIS (and if I'm honest Krennick, although I had already got Harm, he was all mine and I was all his and were both loving every minute of being together; not that I'd tell him that; oh who am I kidding yes I would), anyway I heard a knock on the door and as it was 21:00hrs I wasn't exactly expecting guests as I was barefoot and wearing sweatpants and a sports bra.

I looked through the peep hole and saw a naval officer at the door and just for an instant I thought it was him and he'd been released and unchained the door and swung it open (I know I should've been smarter and asked who it was so sue me I thought it was my incarcerated boyfriend) Harm's name was on my lips when I noticed several things, first I noticed that this guy wasn't his height and second he had the rank of Captain.

I was torn between coming to attention and saluting him and asking him what he was doing at my door at that time at night in the end and as it was my apartment I settled for asking him politely "Can I help you sir?" "Yes you can Lt. I'm Captain (forgive me Bud, but the Captain still works for ONI although he's not a Captain anymore and I can't give you his name) you can help me by packing your bags" he reached down and picked up the case at his feet, opened it and brought out several sheets of paper and held them out to her "you have been reassigned".

I froze and stared in horror at his outstretched hand before hesitatingly reached up and took the papers from him, I then invited him in and asked him to take a seat as numbly shut the door then looked down at the papers now in my hand and started murmuring to myself as I started to read through the orders.

To Lt j.g Megan Austin USN Judge Advocate General Corps.

From RADM Thomas Moreland USN Bureau of Personnel

Lt Austin, Effective immediately you are hereby relieved of duty with the Judge Advocate General Corps and with immediate effect have been reassigned to the Office of Naval Intelligence.

I brought my head up sharply when I read the last part and said" ONI What does ONI want with me?" I started shaking my head this was too much to take in also when reading further down the page I had noticed that the officer that i was to report to was the one standing in front of me "No sir, I have duties, responsibilities; I have a partner in the brig at the moment charged with a crime he didn't commit and I'm going to prove it and if you force me to go I'll quit".

"Relax Lt. I happen to know that the charges against Lt Cmdr Rabb are bogus and he'll be free in a couple of days, you see when looking at you as a possible candidate for ONI we kept an eye on both you and Rabb and you both were quietly under surveillance so we noticed several things one - Rabb was with you when Lt Shonke died so he couldn't have done it and that information is being passed to NCIS at the moment so he's more or less free, two - Rabb was with you in your apartment in the middle of the night, now I doubt you were discussing a case so you both could be charged with fraternisation and possibly kicked out of the Navy, three" I started seeing red and my face full of anger and cut him off saying "How dare you, is that how you get people to accept your orders you blackmail them is it , do this or else is that how you get your kicks".

The Captain held up his hand to stop my rant "Stop Lt that's not how I meant it, on personal business it's a case of see no evil hear no evil. I have no idea nor do I want one on what you two were doing; what I meant was that out of the same command then you two could be together legally, if that's what you want, but as Rabb's in the brig I can't allow communication between you also you don't need to bother your commanding officer Adm. Chegwidden because that's been taken care of already because the Chief of Naval Operations contacted him personally" Well at that revelation there was nothing I could think to do so I slumped dejectedly onto my favourite seat and brought my knees up and hugged them to my chest for comfort and thought about it.

I loved Harm and knew he loved me and would both like to go out as a couple instead of staying in at either his or my place plus it could be good for my career, ok it was decided I was going to accept but there was a couple of other things bothering me so I decided to voice them " Ok I'm in" as the Captain started to open his mouth to speak I had to quickly cut him off with "but with me leaving that will leave JAG short handed and as it happens I know an officer who could do with a transfer" the captain narrowed his eyes "making terms Lt." he said slowly as he was usually used to getting his way when speaking to junior officers and not have them make terms and start negotiating with him.

Looking at his face I could tell what was going on in there and couldn't help but smirk 'well that's what he gets for dealing with a lawyer' "fair's fair sir; JAG's losing me unexpectedly so I think someone should be brought in to replace me" the Captain thought about it then sighed he now really wanted this officer under his command "Ok who is it" "He's an ensign aboard the Seahawk sir Bud Roberts, he was a big help to me while I was aboard during the investigation", having read up about the investigation he knew who Roberts was and for getting his hands on this officer was happy to arrange the transfer of a lowly ensign "it'll take a couple of weeks but it's a done deal" he looked at his watch and realised he'd spent more time here than he expected "now if there's nothing else get dressed and let me know what furniture you want taken with you and I'll get people in here to take it away to your new place".

I think I jerked my head swivelling my head up to look at him "what new place?" I demanded 'what was he pulling now' was also I could think "your training will take a few months and it will take place out of state and a place to live is being prepped for you at the moment" I had to say I was shocked 'didn't he just say that' "Sir didn't you just say that Harm and I would be able to be together" I quickly stopped talking and went white mortified that I had more or less just admitted that me and Harm were together, "oh well that answers that question but as I said I don't care and the pair of you are now in completely different chains of command, and yes I did say that you would be able to be together but I didn't say that it would happen right away did I" the last part from the officer said accusingly.

Well he got me with that one so I nodded then said softly "I want it all" when the Captain looked at me with a strange looked at me questioningly I said simply "my furniture" and walked away to my bedroom to get changed and start my new career while leaving my new CO on my couch while he called the moving crew on his cell.

"Well Bud there you have it, the reason you were attached to JAG and to Harm" Meg sighed " I only wish sometimes" Meg stopped with a snort "sometimes how about every time that my time with Harm could have lasted longer, well at least I got something to remember him with" she said casting another look at her child

"When did you find out you were pregnant ma'am" Bud ventured

"A few weeks later Bud a few weeks later" was Meg's response

TBC

(AN) I'm full of ideas but sometimes can't be bothered to sit down and have to type them all out


End file.
